The U20 team of Nigeria yesterday secured their passage to the quarter final of the U20 World Cup with a 2-0 win over host Argentina in the round of 16, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman of our editorial team takes a look at five things that can be deduced from the game, which was decided in Nigeria’s favor with goals from Mohammed Beji and Rilwanu Haliru Sarki.
Bosso shut his critics up- Coach of the team Ladan Bosso hasn’t enjoyed the kind of backing youth team coaches in Nigeria get from football loving Nigerians. They questioned his tactics, technical know how and even players selection at any given time. However yesterday he replied with a tactical master class with players who have shown that they can make the step up to the senior national team of Nigeria in a not too distant future.
A star is born- You’ll probably have to go to 2013 at the Africa Cup of Nations if you are looking for the last time a Nigerian midfielder dominated the midfield and it was Mikel Obi . Daniel Daga of the Ladan Bosso team has so far shown that he can teach that level in the future.
In the games the team has won, he has been the one making things happen with smart position, telepathic ball distribution and well timed tackles in his role as the defensive midfielder of the team. Dominated Italy and now Brazil, a feat that can only be done by players with elite talent level. Daga is elite.
Defenders who can defend – Keeping aside the 2-0 loss against Brazil, which happened when the coach rotated his defence line. This team has shown right from the Africa Cup of Nations that they can really defend. The quartet of Daniel Bameyi, Solomon Agbalaka, Benjamin Fredrick and Abel Ogwuche have been brilliant at the back and yesterday can be said to be their main test and they passed it with flying colours.
Substitutes made the difference – Argentina will look back at the game and wondered how they lost it. For Nigeria the win was made possible by the substitutes introduced by the coach of the team Ladan Bosso. The assist for the goal was by Emmanuel Umeh, who was introduced as a substitute. Rilwanu Haliru-Sarki who got the vital second goal was also assisted by a substitute in Victor Eletu. The timing of their introduction was also spot on.
Potential Super Eagles first choice spotted – Goalkeepers are usually referred to as the last line of defence and with this Nigerian team Chijioke Anigboso has proven to be the man defined by the statement. Yesterday was another faultless display which further puts him in the frame to be the first choice goalkeeper of the senior national team of Nigeria in the future. He can even start as early as the AFCON qualifiers in June.
